penguin island-第7章

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〃Let　us　not　deliberate　any　longer；〃　said　he。　〃The　opinion　broached　by　gentle　old　Hermas　is　the　only　one　conformable　to　my　eternal　designs。　These　birds　will　be　changed　into　men。　I　foresee　in　this　several　disadvantages。　Many　of　those　men　will　commit　sins　they　would　not　have　committed　as　penguins。　Truly　their　fate　through　this　change　will　be　far　less　enviable　than　if　they　had　been　without　this　baptism　and　this　incorporation　into　the　family　of　Abraham。　But　my　foreknowledge　must　not　encroach　upon　their　free　will。

〃In　order　not　to　impair　human　liberty；　I　will　be　ignorant　of　what　I　know；　I　will　thicken　upon　my　eyes　the　veils　I　have　pierced；　and　in　my　blind　clearsightedness　I　will　let　myself　be　surprised　by　what　I　have　foreseen。〃

And　immediately　calling　the　archangel　Raphael：

〃Go　and　find　the　holy　Mael；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃inform　him　of　his　mistake　and　tell　him；　armed　with　my　Name；　to　change　these　penguins　into　men。〃



VII。　METAMORPHOSIS　OF　THE　PENGUINS

The　archangel；　having　gone　down　into　the　Island　of　the　Penguins；　found　the　holy　man　asleep　in　the　hollow　of　a　rock　surrounded　by　his　new　disciples。　He　laid　his　hand　on　his　shoulder　and；　having　waked　him；　said　in　a　gentle　voice：

〃Mael；　fear　not！〃

The　holy　man；　dazzled　by　a　vivid　light；　inebriated　by　a　delicious　odour；　recognised　the　angel　of　the　Lord；　and　prostrated　himself　with　his　forehead　on　the　ground。

The　angel　continued：

〃Mael；　know　thy　error；　believing　that　thou　wert　baptizing　children　of　Adam　thou　hast　baptized　birds；　and　it　is；　through　thee　that　penguins　have　entered　into　the　Church　of　God。〃

At　these　words　the　old　man　remained　stupefied。

And　the　angel　resumed：

〃Arise；　Mael；　arm　thyself　with　the　mighty　Name　of　the　Lord；　and　say　to　these　birds；　'Be　ye　men！'〃

And　the　holy　Mael；　having　wept　and　prayed；　armed　himself　with　the　mighty　Name　of　the　Lord　and　said　to　the　birds：

〃Be　ye　men！〃

Immediately　the　penguins　were　transformed。　Their　foreheads　enlarged　and　their　heads　grew　round　like　the　dome　of　St。　Maria　Rotunda　in　Rome。　Their　oval　eyes　opened　more　widely　on　the　universe；　a　fleshy　nose　clothed　the　two　clefts　of　their　nostrils；　their　beaks　were　changed　into　mouths；　and　from　their　mouths　went　forth　speech；　their　necks　grew　short　and　thick；　their　wings　became　arms　and　their　claws　legs；　a　restless　soul　dwelt　within　the　breast　of　each　of　them。

However；　there　remained　with　them　some　traces　of　their　first　nature。　They　were　inclined　to　look　sideways；　they　balanced　themselves　on　their　short　thighs；　their　bodies　were　covered　with　fine　down。

And　Mael　gave　thanks　to　the　Lord；　because　he　had　incorporated　these　penguins　into　the　family　of　Abraham。

But　he　grieved　at　the　thought　that　he　would　soon　leave　the　island　to　come　back　no　more；　and　that　perhaps　when　he　was　far　away　the　faith　of　the　penguins　would　perish　for　want　of　care　like　a　young　and　tender　plant。

And　he　formed　the　idea　of　transporting　their　island　to　the　coasts　of　Armorica。

〃I　know　not　the　designs　of　eternal　Wisdom；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃But　if　God　wills　that　this　island　be　transported；　who　could　prevent　it？〃

And　the　holy　man　made　a　very　fine　cord　about　forty　feet　long　out　of　the　flax　of　his　stole。　He　fastened　one　end　of　the　cord　round　a　point　of　rock　that　jutted　up　through　the　sand　of　the　shore　and；　holding　the　other　end　of　the　cord　in　his　hand；　he　entered　the　stone　trough。

The　trough　glided　over　the　sea　and　towed　Penguin　Island　behind　it；　after　nine　days'　sailing　it　approached　the　Breton　coast；　bringing　the　island　with　it。



BOOK　II。　THE　ANCIENT　TIMES

I。　THE　FIRST　CLOTHES

One　day　St。　Mael　was　sitting　by　the　seashore　on　a　warm　stone　that　he　found。　He　thought　it　had　been　warmed　by　the　sun　and　he　gave　thanks　to　God　for　it；　not　knowing　that　the　Devil　had　been　resting　on　it。　The　apostle　was　waiting　for　the　monks　of　Yvern　who　had　been　commissioned　to　bring　a　freight　of　skins　and　fabrics　to　clothe　the　inhabitants　of　the　island　of　Alca。

Soon　he　saw　a　monk　called　Magis　coming　ashore　and　carrying　a　chest　upon　his　back。　This　monk　enjoyed　a　great　reputation　for　holiness。

When　he　had　drawn　near　to　the　old　man　he　laid　the　chest　on　the　ground　and　wiping　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　sleeve；　he　said：

〃Well；　father；　you　wish　then　to　clothe　these　penguins？〃

〃Nothing　is　more　needful；　my　son；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Since　they　have　been　incorporated　into　the　family　of　Abraham　these　penguins　share　the　curse　of　Eve；　and　they　know　that　they　are　naked；　a　thing　of　which　they　were　ignorant　before。　And　it　is　high　time　to　clothe　them；　for　they　are　losing　the　down　that　remained　on　them　after　their　metamorphosis。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Magis　as　he　cast　his　eyes　over　the　coast　where　the　penguins　were　to　be　seen　looking　for　shrimps；　gathering　mussels；　singing；　or　sleeping；　〃they　are　naked。　But　do　you　not　think；　father；　that　it　would　be　better　to　leave　them　naked？　Why　clothe　them？　When　they　wear　clothes　and　are　under　the　moral　law　they　will　assume　an　immense　pride；　a　vile　hypocrisy；　and　an　excessive　cruelty。〃

〃Is　it　possible；　my　son；〃　sighed　the　old　man；　〃that　you　understand　so　badly　the　effects　of　the　moral　law　to　which　even　the　heathen　submit？〃

〃The　moral　law；〃　answered　Magis；　〃forces　men　who　are　beasts　to　live　otherwise　than　beasts；　a　thine　that　doubtless　puts　a　constraint　upon　them；　but　that　also　flatters　and　reassures　them；　and　as　they　are　proud；　cowardly；　and　covetous　of　pleasure；　they　willingly　submit　to　restraints　that　tickle　their　vanity　and　on　which　they　found　both　their　present　security　and　the　hope　of　their　future　happiness。　That　is　the　principle　of　all　morality。　。　。　。　But　let　us　not　mislead　ourselves。　My　companions　are　unloading　their　cargo　of　stuffs　and　skins　on　the　island。　Think；　father；　while　there　is　still　time　I　To　clothe　the　penguins　is　a　very　serious　business。　At　present　when　a　penguin　desires　a　penguin　he　knows　precisely　what　he　desires　and　his　lust　is　limited　by　an　exact　knowledge　of　its　object。　At　this　moment　two　or　three　couples　of　penguins　are　making　love　on　the　beach。　See　with　what　simplicity！　No　one　pays　any　attention　and　the　actors　themselves　do　not　seem　to　be　greatly　preoccupied。　But　when　the　female　penguins　are　clothed；　the　male　penguin　will　not　form　so　exact　a　notion　of　what　it　is　that　attracts　him　to　them。　His　indeterminate　desires　will　fly　out　into　all　sorts　of　dreams　and　illusions；　in　short；　father；　he　will　know　love　and　its　mad　torments。　And　all　the　time　the　female　penguins　will　cast　down　their　eyes　and　bite　their　lips；　and　take　on　airs　as　if　they　kept　a　treasure　under　their　clothes！　。　。　。　what　a　pity！

〃The　evil　will　be　endurable　as　long　as　these　people　remain　rude　and　poor；　but　only　wait　for　a　thousand　years　and　you　will　see；　father；　with　what　powerful　weapons　you　have　endowed　the　daughters　of　Alca。　If　you　will　allow　me；　I　can　give　you　some　idea　of　it　beforehand。　I　have　some　old　clothes　in　this　chest。　Let　us　take　at　hazard　one　of　these　female　penguins　to　whom　the　male　penguins　give　such　little　thought；　and　let　us　dress　her　as　well　as　we　can。

〃Here　is　one　coming　towards　us。　She　is　neither　more　beautiful　nor　uglier　than　the　others；　she　is　young。　No　one　looks　at　her。　She　strolls　indolently　along　the　shore；　scratching　her　back　and　with　her　finger　at　her　nose　as　she　walks。　You　cannot　help　seeing；　father；　that　she　has　narrow　shoulders；　clumsy　breasts；　a　stout　figure；　and　short　legs。　Her　reddish　knees　pucker　at　every　step　she　takes；　and　there　is；　at　each　of　her　joints；　what　looks　like　a　little　monkey's　head。　Her　broad　and　sinewy　feet　cling　to　the　rock　with　their　four　crooked　toes；　while　the　great　toes　stick　up　like　the　heads　of　two　cunning　serpents。　She　begins　to　walk；　all　her　muscles　are　engaged　in　the　task；　and；　when　we　see　them　working；　we　think　of　her　as　a　machine　intended　for　walking　rather　than　as　a　machine　intended　for　making　love；　although　visibly　she　is　both；　and　contains　within　herself　several　other　pieces　of　machinery；　besides。　Well；　venerable　apostle；　you　will　see　what　I　am　going　to　make　of　her。〃

With　these　words　the　monk；　Magis；　reached　the　female　penguin　in　three　bounds；　lifted　her　up；　carried　her　in　his　arms　with　her　hair　trailing　behind　her；　and　threw　her；　overcome　with　fright；　at　the　feet　of　the　holy　Mael。

And　whilst　she　w